How to work with the annual plan

Overview #

The annual plan is the place for all recurring tasks. The list shows the following properties:

Assignment #

A small icon with the initials of the person who was assigned the task. Hoover over the icon to get a tooltip with the full name of the person.

Task #

The name of the task and the tags assigned to them, if applicable.

Click on the name to change the properties of the recurring task. Note that you will be editing the properties of the task as it will reoccur. This is different from editing an instance of the task as it occurs on a specific date.

For example, in the ‘Library’ tab of the recurring task you may link documents which may be useful each time the task is done. Those documents will be shown in each instance of the task as they occur on specific dates.

However, documents added to the ‘Library’ tab of an instance of the task as it occurs on a specific date, are only shown for that specific instance of the task.

Recurring pattern #

This shows how often the task will occur. This can be changed by clicking the task name and altering the recurring pattern.

Context #

Shows links to processes, objectives, requirements and controls as chosen in the ‘Context’ tab of the annual plan tasks. If more than one item is linked, then ‘x items’ is shown. Hoovering over this link will show the list of links to related items.

Voor requirements and controls, annual plan tasks will be referenced as the ‘monitoring’ property.

Time periods #

With the ‘level’ button you can choose the time periods for the columns to be shown.

Choose between ‘Year’, ‘Quarter’ and ‘Month.

For example, if ‘month’ is chosen, then a column is shown for each month in the audit year. The audit year may start at another time than in January – you can change the start of the audit year in the settings [read more].

In each column dates are shown for when the annual plan tasks actually occur. Tasks that are completed have a green checkbox icon behind them. Tasks that are over deadline are shown in red.

Click on a date to open the task as it occurs on that specific date. Note that this is not the same as editing the properties of the task as it will reoccur – to do that, click on the task name in the left column in the annual plan.

When you have clicked on a date to open the task for that specific date, you may change its properties. For example, mark checkbox items as done, upload evidence to the ‘Library’ tab, leave notes in the ‘Activity’ tab, or change the status to ‘Completed’.

It is also possible to change the assignment of this specific tasks in a series of an annual plan task, as an exception to the usual assignment of this annual plan task. Note that to change the assignment of the entire series of this annual plan task, click on the task name in the annual plan.

It is not possible to change the recurring pattern of the series, when you opened the task on a specific date. To change the recurring pattern, click on the task name in the annual plan.

For instructions on how to manage the list of annual plan tasks, including on how to search, filter and report, see list actions.

Click here to make the planning for this audit year #

The annual plan works with audit years. To be able to align your audit year with the time of the year that external audits are done, you can choose the start of the audit year in settings – general.

In the annual plan you can switch between audit years with a button that shows the period of the currently chosen audit year.

For each audit year, either all tasks are created for each annual plan task, or no tasks are created at all. When no tasks are created at all, you will see a list of annual plan tasks (if there are any), but the time period columns on the right will be empty. Above those columns a link called “Click here to make the planning for this audit year” is shown.

Click that link to start the process of creating all tasks on specific dates for all annual plan tasks for the currently chosen audit year. In a popup that appears, you can select two additional actions before you proceed:

• Assign

Check this box and select a person to assign all annual plan tasks to that specific person.

• Schedule in calendars

Check this box to create appointments in Outlook calendar for all tasks that will be created on specific dates for the annual plan tasks.

Click the ‘Execute’ button to proceed.

In the situation that all tasks are created for each annual plan task, the link “Click here to make the planning for this audit year” is not visible. That option is available through the “… button” though.

Any changes you make to annual plan tasks are effective immediately, but only for task instances on specific dates that were not completed yet.

For example, there is an annual plan task called “Access rights check” that occurs every 3 months on the third Monday. There are tasks for these four specific dates:

• Jan 16, with a green checkmark that indicates that it is done,
• Apr 16, with a green checkmark that indicates that it is done,
• Jul 17,
• Oct 16.

Now the annual plan task recurring pattern is changed to have the start date on January 17, occurring every 3 months the third Tuesday. After saving the annual plan task, there are tasks for these four specific dates:

• Jan 16, with a green checkmark that indicates that it is done,
• Apr 16, with a green checkmark that indicates that it is done,
• Jul 18,
• Oct 17.

… button #

The button with three dots gives access to these options:

• Inactive tasks

This shows a popup with a list of inactive tasks, if there are any.

Choose one to switch its status to ‘Active’ again.

• Create schedule

This shows the same popup as the one that comes with the “Click here to make the planning for this audit year” link, as described [here]. Click “Execute” to (re)create the schedule.

• Remove schedule

This shows a popup with the option to remove all tasks on specific dates for all annual plan tasks. The annual plan tasks themselves will not be removed – you can access them by clicking their name after executing this action.

The popup features a link called “Show details of current planning” which, when clicked, gives a summary of the number of tasks per person, including how many are scheduled in Outlook calendar.

Click “Execute” to go ahead with removing the schedule.

Note that these actions always apply to all annual plan tasks and that any selection of annual plan tasks that was made will be ignored.

Selection #

When one or more annual plan tasks are selected, the ‘Selection’ button becomes active. This button gives access to four actions:

• Update schedule

This will recreate the tasks in the annual plan task series. Completed tasks are not updated. Optionally assign the annual plan tasks to a specific person and schedule the created tasks in Outlook calendar.

• Remove from calendar

This will remove all tasks on specific dates for all selected annual plan tasks from the Outlook calendars of the people those tasks are assigned to.

• Make inactive

This will make the selected annual plan tasks inactive. Completed tasks will not be deleted, but open tasks will be. The annual plan tasks will no longer be visible in the annual plan. You can make the inactive annual plan task active again through the “… button”.

• Delete history

Delete the schedule and history for the selected tasks from all audit years. The annual plan tasks themselves will also be deleted. This action cannot be reversed.

Analytics #

This will show a graph with the number of tasks per person in the annual plan, and another graph with the number of tasks per task status.